Toolboxes for pickup truck usage are large boxes which extend into the bed volume of a pickup truck, that is, the toolbox sits projecting downward between the side rails of the pickup truck bed, with a pair of arms on the upper end which arms extend outward to sit upon the tops of the side rails of the bed.
Thus, a considerable amount of bed space is taken up.
An example of a conventional prior art pickup truck toolbox may be seen in FIG. 9, labeled PRIOR ART.
Cab 54 and bed 20 meet at the front end of the bed 20 and the toolbox is disposed at that location. Arm 12 sits atop the side rails 10 of the bed 20, however, the body of the toolbox extends downward into the bed volume 20 until it comes to rest on the floor of the bed or perhaps on just above the floor of the bed 20.
PRIOR ART FIG. 8 shows this as well: the toolbox extends completely into the bed, preventing the use of the bed for storage. Thus the gate 203 at the end of the bed must be opened for longer cargo, or the cargo must be placed with one or both ends above the toolbox or gate, rendering the vehicle difficult to drive and offering the chance that the cargo (such as motorcycle 114) might fall out.
Tonneau cover 14 may be seen in FIG. 9 to be opened and the prior art toolbox extends so far down into the bed volume that it is actually visible UNDER the tonneau cover 14. It is worth noting that the tonneau cover 14 must be shorter than the length of the bed 20 in order to allow for the length of the toolbox.
Finally, it will be seen that the top-mounted hatch 50 opens upward. This means that a user of the toolbox must open the hatch and then reach down in order to rummage for the desired tool. Obviously given the configuration seen, shelves would be difficult to employ since the topmost shelf would block the view of all the lower shelves.
In alternative configurations, the top hatch is broken into two smaller hatches with are hinged at the middle of the width of the toolbox, so they open upward from the side, not from the back of the toolbox.
It may be seen that having doors on the sides of the toolbox is impossible, since they could not open due to the presence of the side rails, blocking them.
The toolbox shown could not be raised up and placed over the bed of the pickup truck for a number of reasons. First, it would entirely block the view of the driver to the rear, preventing any usage of the rear view mirror. Second, it would prevent drivers and pedestrians behind the pickup from seeing the center high mounted brake light (not shown by the prior art FIG. 9). In addition, the arms which project from the top of the toolbox would not secure it to the sidewalls. Finally, the top opening hatch would no longer be accessible without climbing on top of the roof of the cab of the truck or by removing the tonneau to allow entering the bed and then walking forward to the toolbox.
Significantly, the toolbox forces the dedication of a substantial portion of the bed volume to itself. The toolbox is a very heavy device and it is not practical to frequently install and remove it: once installed, it is nearly permanent. Thus the user loses a portion of the benefit of having a pickup truck.
One example of an alternative type of toolbox may be found at www.quickdrawtoolboxes.com, which shows a gun safe or tool box for placement across the back of a flat bed or pickup truck. This type of box has a low profile to avoid interfering with the field of view of the rear view mirror and to avoid blocking visibility of the third brake light.
However, this box does not teach any way to increase the height safely and thus to increase cargo capacity upward.
In addition, it has a sliding rack mechanism to bring out racks/bins (either gun racks in the gun embodiment, or tool bins in the others). This sliding mechanism is required in order to offer access to space near the centerline of the bed, but the mechanism comes at a cost in weight. It also takes up space within the box (which as noted cannot be very tall for safety reasons), adds cost in manufacturing, and requires a large amount of space on the side of the parked vehicle in order to be opened at all. Such mechanisms are subject to jamming, of course, rather like a kitchen drawer.
Worst of all, it is easy to imagine the sliding bin mechanism popping out as the vehicle goes around a corner, after which the vehicle will have a projection apparently in excess of four feet wide sticking out one side.
Finally, horizontal shelves are once again impossible in this design.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,467 (Niemi) teaches a typical design which sits inside of a cargo bed. Niemi very explicitly teaches legs which sit on the floor of the bed, “spaced apart” (four feet is mentioned repeatedly in Niemi) and which fit within the sidewalls “independent” of the sidewalls.
U.S. Pat. No. D374,654 to Steketee (Oct. 15, 1996) teaches a truck mounted toolbox having no feet and lacking any tunnel which extends from the bottom upward.
Thus it would be preferable to provide a pickup toolbox which does not take up any bed space.
It would even more be preferable to provide a pickup tool box or storage box which has interchangeable or adjustable feet so that it can fit onto various types of pickup truck beds, so long as they are the same width.
It would further be preferable to provide a pickup truck storage box/tool box which has a lower profile and lower weight for smaller tool/storage needs.
It would further be preferable to provide a pickup toolbox which allows easy access without rummaging downward.
It would further be preferable to provide a pickup toolbox which does not require the use of a tonneau of a different size than the bed volume's top surface.
It would further be preferable to provide a pickup toolbox which allows the use of shelving for tools, but without blocking the view of users.
It would further be preferable to provide a pickup toolbox which meets all of these requirements and yet fulfills basic safety standards by NOT blocking the view of the third brake light.
It would further be preferable to provide a pickup toolbox which meets all of these requirements and yet fulfills basic safety standards by NOT blocking the usage by the driver of the rear view mirror.
It would further be preferable to provide a pickup truck tool box/storage box which has a visibility tunnel either extending up from the bottom surface or down from the top surface.
It would yet further be preferable to provide a pickup truck tool/storage box which offers an extra CHSML light, a bed light, a rear view camera, or combinations thereof in a single housing.